Blog & News

Stories, updates, and insights from the NT LIFE community.

Our Mission

NT LIFE Recovery College provides free educational courses and workshops to support people’s mental health and wellbeing. We use a recovery-focused approach that recognises everyone’s unique journey.

Our courses are co-produced and co-delivered by people with both professional expertise and personal lived experience of mental health challenges. This ensures our content is relevant, relatable, and truly supportive.

Driving Gnome for Christmas craft workshop with BT, EE, North Tyneside Council and NT LIFE

Driving Gnome for Christmas – A Sector Connector and NT LIFE Collaboration

Sector Connector has coordinated a creative festive volunteering project that brought three organisations together in support of NT LIFE, North Tyneside’s Recovery College. Volunteers from BT, EE and North Tyneside Council took part in micro-volunteering days designed to offer both practical help and positive wellbeing activities. Across three sessions, 17 staff from BT and EE and two members of staff from the council produced 58 handmade Driving Gnomes for Christmas. The project provided a relaxed, friendly space where volunteers could switch off, get creative and contribute to a local wellbeing initiative. Many spoke about the impact of the sessions: “Making the gonks helped to relax and ease the mind and forget about any worries or stresses that may have been there at the start of the morning.” “Creating the gonks was very calming and fun to do; it takes you away from outside life and stresses.” Feedback described the days

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NT LIFE Update: A New Chapter Begins

NT LIFE Update: A New Chapter Begins

We’re proud to share some fantastic news from NT LIFE Recovery College – with guidance and support from VODA, we’ve…
NT LIFE Recovery College Wellbeing Session with Independent Advocacy North East (IANE)

NT LIFE Recovery College Wellbeing Session with Independent Advocacy North East (IANE)

NT LIFE Recovery College Wellbeing Session with Independent Advocacy North East (IANE) – 11th September 2024 by Ali Donkin I…
Case Study: Peer Supporter Hannah

Case Study: Peer Supporter Hannah

Read on to learn how peer supporter Hannah co-created NT LIFE’s new Neuro-divergence Group… As a peer supporter, the idea…
Exciting start to NT LIFE Recovery College's fifth year of deliveries

Exciting start to NT LIFE Recovery College's fifth year of deliveries

As September 2023 approaches, we recognise the growth we have made since our inception in 2019, with only one staff…
Howay the Lads!

Howay the Lads!

Howay the Lads! Would you like to co-design and co-create a Men’s Mental Health Group or simply be involved? Men’s…
International Men's Health Awareness Week 12-19 June

International Men's Health Awareness Week 12-19 June

It is great to see that recent mental health campaigns have promoted the reasons and benefits for seeking support, to…
The January Low Down from NT LIFE

The January Low Down from NT LIFE

Welcome back And Hello 2023 Well what a start to 2023 we’ve had We’re exhausted just listing the bullet points…
NT LIFE 12 Days of Christmas

NT LIFE 12 Days of Christmas

Here at NT LIFE, we’re halfway through our ’12 Days of Christmas’ activities and it’s going fab!! We’re having so…
12 Days of Christmas from NT LIFE

12 Days of Christmas from NT LIFE

We know that this year has been a challenging one, coming out of lockdowns, stretched services and the rise in…
NT LIFE Student Survey

NT LIFE Student Survey

This survey was carried out in 2021/22 to give students and volunteers of NT LIFE the opportunity to feed back…
NT LIFE: Taking brave steps with Woodland Wellbeing

NT LIFE: Taking brave steps with Woodland Wellbeing

Over the last 2 weeks our Woodland Wellbeing participants have been getting stuck into making nettle cordage, a slow and…
2022 so far...

2022 so far...

After a move to Meadow Well Connected at the start of 2022, the team at NT LIFE have been busy.…
National Mental Health and Wellbeing award for NT LIFE’s Ali Donkin

National Mental Health and Wellbeing award for NT LIFE’s Ali Donkin

North Tyneside Mental Health and Wellbeing champion Ali Donkin has been awarded joint winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the…
NT LIFE stepping into summer

NT LIFE stepping into summer

As we step into summer NT LIFE has a new timetable. This follows the success of the Spring timetable that…
Volunteers' Week: Celebrating our NT LIFE volunteers

Volunteers' Week: Celebrating our NT LIFE volunteers

NT LIFE Recovery College relies on the support of volunteer facilitators to deliver its programme of sessions designed to help…
A Little Box of Hope for North Tyneside

A Little Box of Hope for North Tyneside

NT Life Boxes of Hope from Robin on Vimeo. Participants of VODA’s NT LIFE Recovery College in North Tyneside received…
NT Life Blog: December 2019

NT Life Blog: December 2019

Welcome one and all to our first blog. I’m Emma, I have been volunteering for the NT LIFE Recovery College…
NT Life Blog: December 2019

NT Life Blog: December 2019

Welcome one and all to our first blog. I’m Emma, I have been volunteering for the NT LIFE Recovery College…

Expression of Interest Form

Referral and Self-referrals are accepted

We are currently reviewing our onboarding process. This means there may be a delay in responding to your submission. We aim to deal with your submission within 2 weeks, if you haven't heard from us within 2 weeks please email: ali.donkin@voda.org.uk Your cooperation is appreciated

Please note we are a service for adults over 18yrs
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